Antiphona 1

'Non vos me elegistis' (John 15:16) preserves Christ's words at the Last Supper discourse on divine election. The verb 'elegi' (I chose) uses the aorist tense, indicating a decisive past action - the Apostles did not volunteer but were sovereignly selected. The purpose clause 'ut eatis et fructum afferatis' (that you should go and bear fruit) defines apostleship as missionary fruitfulness rather than static privilege. The Church places this text at Lauds to remind those celebrating an apostle's feast that their patron's authority originated entirely in Christ's sovereign call, not human merit.